Wire opener attached by boss to scored can end



Feb. 15, 1966 FRANKENBERG 3,235,123

WIRE OPENER ATTACHED BY BOSS T0 SCORED CAN END Filed Sept. 27, 1963INVENTOR $16.5 HENRY 'EFRANKENBERG- W1, mw

ATTORNEU United States Patent 3,235,123 WIRE OPENER ATTACHED BY BOSS T0SCORED CAN END Henry E. Frankenberg, Berwyn, Ill., assignor toContinental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled Sept. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 312,216 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-48) Thisinvention relates in general to new and useful improvements in containerends, and more particularly to a novel container end having an easyself-opening device.

There are many instances where it is desirable to be able to open aconventional type of container having a metal end without requiring theuse of a. can opener or other type of special implement. Accordingly, itis the primary object of this invention to provide a novel container endwhich is equipped with an opening device having a cutter which isengageable with an end panel of the container end and when the openingdevice is moved, it will effect the rupture and cutting out of apredetermined portion of the end panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel container endunit which includes a container end having an end panel which isprovided with a pivot and there being mounted on the pivot an openingdevice which includes a cutter remote from the pivot, the cutteropposing the end panel and being operable upon being brought intopressure engagement with the end panel and the opening device swungaround the pivot to efiect a continuous rupture of the end panel and theultimate removal of a portion of the end panel whereby the contents ofthe container may then be dispensed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel containerend unit which includes a container end having an end panel, an openingdevice pivotally carried by the end panel and having a cutter engageablewith the end panel to effect the rupture of the end panel and theremoval of a portion thereof to define a dispensing opening, the endpanel being provided with a pocket normally loosely receiving the cutterof the opening device whereby accidental rupture of the end panel byhandling of the container is prevented.

A further object of this invention is to provide an end panel of acontainer end with a simple opening device in the form of a rigid wiremember which is provided at one end with a loop or ring portionsurrounding an integral boss of the end panel, and at the opposite endwith a downwardly facing pointed end portion which is engageable withthe end panel under pressure to effect the rupture of the end panel andthe removal of a portion of the end panel when the wire member is swungabout the pivot.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container end unit ofthe type set forth above wherein the end panel is provided with a pocketfor loosely receiving the pointed end of the wire member, and anintermediate portion of the wire member rests upon the end panel toprevent the downward movement of the pointed end whereby accidentalrupture of the end panel is prevented.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an end panel unitof the type set forth above wherein the end panel is additionallyprovided with a pair of upstanding portions disposed on opposite sidesof the wire member intermediate portion to prevent the accidentalswinging of the wire member to an end panel rupturing position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a container endunit of the foregoing type with a weakening line to facilitate therupture of the end panel and a removal of a portion thereof.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claim and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a containerincorporating a container end unit in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan View of the container end unit of FIGURE 1 and showsfurther the details of the opening device carried thereby, the openingdevice being shown in an end panel rupturing position by dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and shows the specific details of the openingdevice and the manner in which it is pivotally mounted and therelationship thereof with respect to a pocket which normally receivesthe cutter of the opening device.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar toFIGURE 3 and taken along the line, 44 of FIGURE 2, the view showing theopening device in an upward position.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takengenerally along the line 5--5 of FIG- URE 3 and shows more clearly themanner in which the opening device is retained in an inoperativeposition.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in FIGURE 1 a container which is generally referred to bythe numeral 10. The container it) is illustrated as being in the form ofa can although this invention. is not limited to cans.

The container 1d includes a can body 11 which has the illustrated upperend thereof closed by means of a can end, generally referred to by thenumeral 12. The can end 12, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 3, is securedto the can body 11 by means of a conventional double seam l3 andincludes an end panel 14. The can end 12 differs from a conventional canend in that the end panel 14 is provided with a central boss 15 whichincludes an upper end wall 16 and a generally semi-circular crosssectional upstanding wall 17.

An opening device, generally referred to by the numeral 18, is carriedby the boss 15 for pivotal movement. The opening device 18 is in theform of a wire member 20 which is shaped at one end to definite a loopor ring portion 21 which snugly engages the boss 15 and serves toposition the wire member 20 relative to the end panel 14. Anintermediate portion 22 of the wire member 2d rests directly upon theend panel 14 in the inoperative position of the opening device 18, as isshown in FIGURE 3. The wire member 2t? projects upwardly, as at 23,outwardly of the intermediate portion 22 and then extends generallyhorizontally, as at 24. The wire member 20 terminates in an outerdownwardly directed end portion 25 which has a downwardly directedpointed end 26 which functions as a cutter.

In order to permit the handling and shipment of the container 10 withoutthe accidental rupture of the container end 12, the end panel 14 isprovided with a downwardly directed portion at 27 to define a pocket 28which loosely receives the pointed end 26. This is best shown in FIGURE3. In order to prevent the accidental swinging or pivoting of theopening device 18 during handling, the end panel 14 is also providedwith a pair of upstanding projections 29 which are disposed in generallyspaced parallel relation and are positioned radially inwardly of thepocket 28, as is best shown in FIGURE 2. The projections 29 are disposedon opposite sides of the intermediate portion 22 of the wire member 20.and serve to prevent the accidental pivoting of the opening device 1-8around the boss 15.

In order to facilitate the opening of the container 10 utilizing theopening device 18, the end panel 14 is provided with an interruptedscore line 30 which, for the most part of its extent, extends along thepath of movement of the pointed end 26. However, in the vicinity of thepocket 28, the score line 30 is offset, as at 31, to extend slightlyinwardly of the pocket 28, as is best shown in FIGURE 2.

During the use of the opening device 18, the horizontal portion 24 islifted so that the pointed end 26 is removed from the pocket 28 and theintermediate portion 22 of the Wire member 20 can bass over one of theprojections 29. The pointed end 26 is then lowered into engagement withthe end panel 14 along the weakening line 30 and pressure is exerted,preferably by ones thumb, against the horizontal portion 24 of the Wiremember 2t} to effect both a swinging and rupturing pressure on theopening device 18. The opening device 18 is pivoted entirely about theboss 15 until the pointed end 26 reaches the opposite end of the pocket'28. The portion of the end panel 14 defined by the score line 31 maythen be folded upwardly along the portion 31 of the score line to effectthe removal of the portion of the end panel 14 defined by the score line30.

It will be readily apparent that no tool is required to open thecontainer end 1-2 with the exception of the opening device 18. Further,it will be readily apparent that the opening device 18 is so mounted onthe container end 12 whereby accidental rupture of the end panel 14 isprevented. In addition, it will be readily apparent that once theopening device 18 has been moved to an operative position, it may bereadily utilized to effect the severing of a desired portion of the endpanel 14 and the removal thereof.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat minor modifications may be made in the container end unit Withinthe spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appendedclaim.

I claim:

An easy opening container end unit comprising a con of a rigid Wiremember having an inner ring portion, an intermediate portion adjacentsaid ring portion, and a generally inverted U-shaped outer portionconnected to said intermediate portion, said outer portion terminatingin a downwardly directed lower pointed end for rupturing contact withsaid end panel and including a horizontal upper portion against whichpressure is brought to swinging movement, said opening device being inthe form tainer end including an end panel, a pivot on said end panel,and an opening device carried by said pivot for bear in the use of saidopening device, said pointed end eeing disposed within a projection ofsaid end panel in all positions of said pointed end, said end panelhaving an inwardly ofiset recess aligned with the path of said pointedend for receiving said pointed end in the storage position thereof, andsaid end panel having upstanding projections disposed on opposite sidesof a line extending between said pivot and said recess for engaging saidintermediate portion and preventing accidental rupturing of said endpanel by said pointed end.

References (Tited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,957 8/1911Carman -1 220L118 1,843,806 2/1932 Compton 22048 1,872,585 8/1932Hegenberger 220 48 2,337,687 12/1943 Sebell 22o -48 FOREIGN PATENTS327,894 7/1935 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

